Posted by simguy on 1/15/2005, 8:57 am

(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)


Before: Creamy brunettes in the unprecedented position of BOTH having been dismissed by Britney - each anxious to separate herself from the other as a result. Dushku shrugging off any comparison: "Look: Britney beats me, it's front page news; Britney beats Jessica and it's like a little corner-insert on the obituary page. Just because Spears finally had the night you all were praying for doesn't mean Jessica's ready to step up and take advantage." Alba seeing things a little differently. "By the time Britney got to her, Eliza was damaged goods and all of us knew it. I'm serious - you watch tape of Dushku from 3 or 4 years ago and compare it to tape of her recent fights and it's scary how many steps she's lost. Britney might have exposed Eliza, but I'll be the one to bury her." Red leather bikini, Dushku - tan western motif bikini Alba, hair tied back.

During R1: Dushku going to the body early and often, jabbing to close, then going smartly to waist right/left. Alba wincing and legging away, drawing boos - she's shamelessly non-combative, keeping Dushku's connects very low with loping, rushed footwork along the perimeter. Shutout Eliza - she's shaking her head, grinning ruefully at Alba's cowardly antics.

R2: Dushku stepping over to cut off the ring, jabbing to midriff to fix Jessica's position - Alba stepping into the ropes, looking nervous. Loud, cranking hooks in the flank have Alba grimacing, hands at her temples - Eliza getting in there close and digging busily with the left hand. Midway through, Dushku shadowing Alba along the ropes, hooking off the jab, crosses Jess up with a sudden jolting right on the mouth, back with the left uppercut bingo on the chin and ALBA GOES DOWN! Eliza putting 'em tasty on target - Alba stunned, on all fours - Jess up and weepy for 8. Eliza getting ideal conditions for mop up: Alba laying on the ropes, hands at her temples, rotating her torso as Dushku systematically pounds away ribs. Alba badly shaken, bullied - second straight shutout Dushku.

R3: Dushku with a sneaky lead right hand on the chin, gets that jagged left uppercut on the chin and nearly drops Alba to her backside at the open. Jess reeling ropeside, eyes wide - she's doing NOTHING offensively, just cowering, bending at the waist, occasionally pushing her left out to palm Eliza back. Dushku flicking the jab to menace and distract, then gunning for ribs with swinging rights and sternum-seeking hooks - she's punishing Alba with every shot. Jess sliding along the strands, face distraught - late the round she shows enough good sense to clinch, at least bogging Dushku down some at the bell. Third straight shutout, Eliza.

R4: Eliza stalking behind her jab, attacking to the body - but Alba seems to be getting her act together. Jess still legging along the perimeter, but now featuring her jab - not landing necessarily, but it's keeping Dushku at bay, messing with her timing. Jess loping and stepping - not as rushed - hands gathered under her chin as she circles, losing the round but establishing her distance for the most part.

R5: Jessica starting to score - good stiff jabs, long sliding right hands, licking hooks. Dushku brushed back and becoming more contemplative - headlong assault on Alba's midsection abandoned as Dushku starts to box on the outside. Alba more than holding her own - good spanking strikes to Dushku's face take the cards.

R6: Eliza jumping in uncharacteristically: Alba times her with a sinewy right uppercut on the chin, slicing hook upside the head as Dushku's tottering backwards and ELIZA GOES DOWN! Dushku dropped heavily to her back, head up off canvas, bleary eyes - she gets gingerly to her feet, exhaling through pursed lips for the 8. Alba pumped, eyes blazing - strides in and goes to work, licking and lathering as Dushku covers up and rolls. Jess more patient, smarter than expected - jabbing just to make Dushku commit, railing the right hand in whether it lands or not and mopping up those ribs that slinging, lanky hook. Jess limber-limbed, often dropping the right hand low to stuff her hook in behind Eliza's elbows: Dushku drooped forward, suffering. Final minute, withering licks to the body have Dushku stiff, wounded - Alba picks her up pretty a clipping right uppercut, slams home a slaughterhouse hook across the chops and DROPS DUSHKU AGAIN!! Eliza a-swoon, on her right hip, left hand up in the ropes - she's a slobberknocked beauty, saved by the bell as Alba pounds her own chest with triumphant right hands.

R7: Dushku sucking it up, comes out gritty, professional to steal Alba momentum. Jessica looking to plant and slug a little more - Eliza finding it easier to close, beat lanky-limbed Jess to punches. Dushku just making contact - a darting right on the mouth, a swat hook across the ribs, pesky chiselling jabs - just touching Alba, bringing her hands back quick to block the receipts. Jessica shortening up stroke at close range, swiping her shots, pulling them into Dushku. Crowd pleasing give and take - Eliza the better girl toe to toe.

R8: Jessica showing lanky brawn - going right at Eliza again, riding her guard into Dushku's shoulders, then dip and ripping uppercuts, bulling Eliza back. Dushku taking a good shot, but she's getting hit - Alba able to march forward and put mitts on chin with those supple uppercuts of hers. Alba not neglecting the Dushku chassis - stroking that left across gut or tucking it in thick behind the elbow - more than once Eliza blows hard through pursed lips, wearing down some in late action.

R9: Eliza turns boxer again - stepping in and out, circling - she's catching Alba looking to guard up and slug, flustering Jessica's expectations. Dushku pinging away up top with chippy lead rights and stiff jabs, saving her vigour for hooks to Jessica's lean ribs. Alba stalking, but not cutting off the ring, walks into too many Dushku traps this round.

R10: Eliza jabbing to the body, rotating left, trying to loosen Jessica up for hooks up top. Midway through - Alba sliding back, feints the right and slings that Ray Robinson hook HARD to Dushku's ear - Jess tucking her shoulder in tight behind the blow and watching the magic as Eliza reels away. Dushku rubber-kneed, staring - completely undone by the shot - she keeps her feet on pride and instinct alone. ON COMES ALBA! Jess loping in, hands low - she leans in a long right hand, bends to pull the hook across - Eliza desperately rolling side to side takes the savage edge off the killshots. Alba stays in there, bumping Dushku in the shoulders with her guard, dipping her shoulders to get the uppercuts, hooking Eliza's trembling breadbasket. Eliza hurt, sitting in the ropes and sopping it up, but she's too tough to go - Alba applies crop to haunch to the bell, but can't get her out of there. Comes back UD10 one point: Eliza Dushku.

After: Alba goes through open-mouthed shock to foot-stomping tantrum at the decision: she had Eliza out on her feet in the tenth and can't accept the verdict. Dushku drained, busted up and achy, but manufacturing a very professional win: she built the lead, weathered the storm and hung on the way winners usually do.


simguy

ff